A Return To Hogwarts
by PotterScar
Summary: James Potter and Sirius Black are dueling for fun in an empty classroom, with Remus refereeing. What happens when an incorrectly cast spell sends the three friends spinning through time into a place they know all too well? Sequel to Who ARE you [ON HAITUS
1. Spinning Through Time

**This story is the sequel to "Who ARE you?"**

**I fully advise you read that story before this, as there will be references made to that story.**

**SUMMARY:**

**James Potter and Sirius Black are dueling for fun in an empty classroom, with Remus refereeing. What happens when an incorrectly cast spell sends the three friends spinning through time into a place they know all too well?**

"C'mon, Prongs, is that the best you got?" teased Sirius Black, throwing a tickling curse at James Potter, who immediately doubled over, laughing uncontrollably.

Gasping, James managed to choke out the dancing curse, causing Sirius to begin dancing a rather horrendous tap dance as the tickling spell on James began to fade, replaced by genuine laughter from both James and Remus, who was refereeing the match.

The three friends, devoid of fun things to do, went into an empty classroom to have a friendly duel, and so far, it was evenly matched.

"Junictio!" yelled Sirius, pointing his wand at James, attempting a Jelly Legs curse. But a blinding light flashed into the three's eyes, and Remus yelled something.

The boys all felt a tug behind their navel, similar to traveling by Portkey, something none of them enjoyed. Reeling through the white light, the boys yells faded into nothingness until they landed once again.

Picking his head off of the ground, James looked around him blearily, his vision blurred. Feeling around for his glasses, he found them next to a desk and slipped them onto his face, and began to analyze the room.

It was the same room, that much he could tell. But it was... different. It was no longer an unused classroom, but had desks in rows, a teacher's desk with half-graded papers on it, and a chalk board covered in writing- formulas, definitions.

Feeling confused, James rested on his haunches, before calling, his voice barely above a whisper, "Sirius, Remus?"

"Over here, mate," said a groggy voice, and another grunted. Suddenly, the classroom door opened.

"Harry Potter! What in Merlin's name are you doing in my classroom? asked an enraged McGonagall, and, bewildered, James turned to look at her.

"Erm, Professor?" James asked, his voice slightly shaky, rubbing his scalp, disheveling his hair, revealing his forehead.

Horrorstruck, the Professor stared at his forehead. It wasn't Harry.

"Professor?" asked James again.

"Is anyone else in here?" she asked in her brisk manner, staring at him over her hawk-like nose with stern blue eyes, hiding the shock of seeing James Potter in her classroom.

"Er, yeah... Sirius and Remus..." With that, Sirius emerged, dazed looking, from under a desk, and Remus stood up, stumbling slightly, from where he had been sitting behind McGonagall's desk.

"Come along, we are going to see the Headmaster," said McGonagall shortly, still staring at James. "Potter, Black, and Lupin in my office again..." she muttered to herself, starting off down the corridor, with James, Remus, and Sirius trotting behind her.

Just as James, Sirius, and Remus were being led to Dumbledore, Harry Potter was entering the Great Hall for the start-of-term feast, soaked from head-to-toe from the torrent of rain outside, like buckets being poured down upon the students as they began another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry had had a perfectly miserable summer. The Durselys, although they were fair enough with the chores, were still nasty to him, shooting insults every few minutes, and Harry had decided not to whine to Moody or the others about his Aunt's and Uncle's behavior.

Noting that the train must have come early, for their were close to no teachers at the high table with the exception of an exceptionally handsome young man, looking to be about in his twenties, with straight brown hair that was short but hung elegantly into his dark blue eyes.

Hermione prodded Harry. "That must be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," she said to him and Ron.

Harry nodded, feeling glum, as he had felt all summer. The truth was sinking in, hitting him hard: Sirius was gone for good, and there was nothing Harry could do to get him back.

Sometimes, he felt like going back into the past again, just to talk to his father and Sirius again, but he knew how serious the consequences of that could be, and wisely, he didn't. But he still had an ache inside of his gut.

Harry kept feeling that Sirius would come back, would just reappear and everything would be alright.

"But that isn't true," he said, his voice not even a whisper, lost in the chatter of the students around him.

Knocking on the Professor's door, McGonagall kept a straight face.

"Come in," answered Dumbledore, who was bustling about in his office, preparing for the feast, aware that the train had arrived early.

McGonagall walked in, the three boys in tow. Dumbledore looked only mildly surprised that these boys, who had gone to his school so long ago, were once again in his office- and this time, it wasn't for a prank they pulled.

"James, Sirius, Remus, do have a seat," he said politely, waving his wand. Three chintz armchairs appeared.

"I do apoligize, but Minerva and I have to attend the start-of-term feast," he said apollegetically to the three confused boys, who didn't know why everybody was so surprised at their arrival.

Waving his wand, Dumbledore conjured a plate of sandwiches and a large jug of pumpkin juice.

"Tuck in; I will be back to have a word with you after the feast," he said, his blue eyes twinkling. He and Professor McGonagall left, leaving the three Marauders to eat their supper.

The teachers quickly filed into the Great Hall, having been informed of the train's early arrival to Hogwarts. Taking a seat with the new Professor, Dumbledore stayed standing, and the Hall immediatley quieted. McGonagall slipped off to fetch the first years from the chamber off of the Hall, and Flitwick brought out the stool and the Sorting Hat. Seconds after the tiny professor sat down, the first years, looking ever so nervous, filed in in a single file line.

Clearing her voice, McGonagall stood at the head of the first years, a list in her hand. The "mouth" of the Sorting Hat opened, and it began to sing:

_Divide you all once more,_

_That is what I must._

_Into houses four,_

_Each of them different._

_Perhaps Gryffindor, the few, the brave,_

_Bask in all their glory_

_While Hufflepuffs give all they have,_

_to be loyal and just._

_Ravenclaws, of learning and wit,_

_find those with those same traits._

_Or maybe Slytherin is your best fit,_

_where the cunning reside._

_I quarter students every year,_

_although I don't feel it's right,_

_It may bring about the end I fear,_

_One that is a fright._

_Know thy housemates,_

_know thy classmates,_

_know thy roommates,_

_know thy self._

_Why not a Gryffindor and Slytherin,_

_in interhouse relationship?_

_Or a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,_

_sitting together?_

_Why can't the houses join,_

_to make a glorious school?_

_Quarreling leads to fights._

_Fights lead to war._

_I have warned you of your fate,_

_I have warned you of the danger._

_But it is my duty to sort you._

_So let the Sorting begin._

**(As you can tell, I'm not a good poet )**

There was some tentative clapping, and students stared at each other. The hat spent two verses on the houses and the rest on warning everybody of what could happen and advising them to make friends.

Harry had a look of stony resilience on his face as the Sorting began, staring with "Appel, Roseanna".

Sitting through the Sorting of a near one-hundred students, the biggest class Harry had seen enter the school, students were finding ways to pass the time when they weren't clapping for a new housemate.

Finally, it ended when "Zacharias, Michelle" was sorted into Ravenclaw. Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry's stomach growled hungerly as Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome, new students, and welcome back to our old hands," he said, his eyes glimmering. "Tuck in!"

Food appeared on the golden platters, the enchanting smell wafting through the hall. Piling potatoes and roast beef on his plate, Harry and Ron dug in, while Hermione looked at them with a look of mingled disgust at the way they were eating and amazement at how they could fit that much food in their mouths.

Feeling considerably happier, Harry watched as the dinner faded and was replaced by dessert. Harry spooned some chocolate pudding onto his plate, along with some custard-filled pastries and a thin slice of apple pie.

Pleasently full, Harry relaxed as the dessert started to fade and Dumbledore stood up, which brought a complete hush over the hall.

"Now it is time for the speech I know you all are looking forward to," he said, a grin on his old face. "My first announcement is that we have, once again, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Please give a warm welcome to Professor Clarke!"

The students applauded loudly, for he looked like a halfway decent teacher. Smiling at the students, Clarke looked happy to be teaching at Hogwarts. Harry wondered if he knew none of the teachers had lasted more than a year.

"Also, it is my duty to inform you that the Forbidden Forest is, in fact, forbidden. Some of our older students should know by now." His eyes flickered over to the trio, who smirked slightly.

"Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that magic isn't allowed in the corridors, and that Fanged Frisbees and Swelling Swords are not allowed in the school, as are any item from the Weasely's Wizard Wheezes, located on number 89 Diagon Alley.

"Now, if I could have prefects-" Ron and Hermione stood up, along with two fifth years- "and the Heads-" Cho Chang and a Hufflepuff boy stood up- "direct the students to their respective common rooms?"

Harry trailed back behind the group of first years, who looked at him, amazed. Feeling slightly irritated that he couldn't go anywhere without being gawked at, Harry sped up, making it to the portrait hole before Hermione, Ron, and the other Gryffindors arrived.

Standing quietly to wait to get the password, Harry leaned against the wall, thinking.

**TBC...**


	2. Painful Discoveries

**'Tis Chapter Two!**

**DISCLAIMER (I always forget this ): I do not own the wonderful world of Harry Potter, nor any of it's characters... but I do own the story itself, so no sticky paws!**

Dumbledore re-entered his office. Sirius was sprawled across his chair, fast asleep. Remus was staring into the fireplace, while James was out of his seat, at the window, surveying the grounds.

"The feast has ended, boys," he said, a small smile on his face. James jumped, before walking back to his seat, and Remus turned to face Dumbledore. When James arrived at his chair, he prodded Sirius awake.

"Now, I imagine you are wondering where exactly you are," said Dumbledore serenly, smiling at them, looking rather amused.

"Well... we're in the castle," Remus said weakly.

"Correct, Mr. Lupin. But you are also in the future. You are in James's son's time, and James and Sirius are dead."

Harry sat in the Gryffindor Common Room barely fifteen minutes later. The kids around him chattered, the guys about the upcoming Quidditch team, the girls about the new DADA teacher, and Hermione talking about neither.

While Ron and Harry talked about the season, and Hermione had her head burrowed in a book. Harry and Ron wondered who exactly would be captain, for nobody had told him yet. They were also pondering who would fill the remaining Beater positions and the Chaser spot. Harry was positive it was going to be Ron's sister, Ginny, until she marched up to them and declared she was going to try out for Beater.

"Why?" asked Harry and Ron at the same time, and Ginny snorted under her breath.

"Well, George and Fred had been Beaters... besides, it looks like an awfully fun position, don't you think?" Without waiting for a response, she walked away, joining up with her other friends.

"Nutters, she is," muttered Ron, and he and Harry talked about who could fill the Chaser position... and who would be Captian.

"Y'know, Harry, it may be you," reasoned Ron.

"No, it's always a seventh year," said Harry, looking at Ron in slight bewilderment.

"No, not always. Charlie became Captian in the sixth year," Ron pointed out. Harry just shrugged.

"WHAT?" three voices yelled.

"Indeed, it is so," said Dumbledore gravely. "If you are going to be in the future for very long, then you must know the truth. Harry will tell you exactly how you two died."

"Harry?" said James, struggling to remember. "Who, Harry Granger?"

"That isn't his real name," said Dumbledore, sounding distant. "But, you three must be given new identities. James, you may remain who you are, but you must fake being Harry's cousin. Sirius... you must be Sirius McCarter, an exchange student from America. Remus, you are Remus Brownings, another exchange student from America. You must keep these identities."

James nodded faintly. Dumbledore's mouth tugged into a smile. "Nobody should doubt that you and Harry are cousins, James, judging how much you look alike.

"Now, I am going to call Harry up to my office; he shall explain as much as he wishes." With that, Dumbledore tapped a small box on his desk that James hadn't noticed with his wand, and said, "Will Harry Potter please report to my office?"

Tapping the box again, Dumbledore peered over his half-moon glasses at the three. "I am sure Harry will recieve quite a shock to see you... especially you, James," he said quietly. Then he turned to Sirius.

"Sirius, Harry is in grieving over your death. Do be sensitive to him," he said, his voice quiet. Sirius nodded just as Harry came in.

James, Sirius, and Remus were facing Dumbledore with their backs to the door, so as Harry walked in, he didn't give them a second glance.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" he asked, his voice sounding slightly hesitant.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. It seems we have three new kids in your year. Would you direct them to the dormitories? It may be a tight fit, but we have already set up extra beds," said Dumbledore.

"Sure," Harry said, completely bewildered, "but isn't that a job for the..." his voice trailed off as the three boys turned to face him.

The word 'prefects' was lost in his throat as he saw who was staring back at him.

"Well, Mr. Potter, you have a half-hour to get back to your common room with these three, or else Mr. Filch might consider you out-of-bouds," he said, with a slight twinkle in his eye. "I trust you will explain to Messers Black, Lupin, and Potter their current states at this time?"

"Yes... sir..." said Harry slowly, still looking bewildered. "C'mon," he said, motioning for them to follow him.

"Oh, wait, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, and Harry turned around. "Congratulations... you are Gryffindor's new Quidditch Captain." Eyes sparkling, he handed Harry a small golden badge in the shape of a C.

James, Sirius, and Remus got up. "Hey, Harry," said Sirius quietly, after they had shut the door to Dumbledore's office. Harry placed the badge into his pocket.

"Hey," he said, trying to sound cheery. "Oh... James, Sirius, would you perhaps be interested in playing for the Quidditch team until you go back to... er..."

"Sure!" James said, his voice rather unsteady. "What positions are open?"

"Chaser and Beater," he replied, rather distantly as they approached the portrait hole.

"Before we go in," James said, grabbing Harry's elbow. "Dumbledore said to fake that I'm your cousin and Sirius and Remus are from America as exchange students."

Sirius nodded. "With the names Sirius McCarter and Remus Brownings."

"Right," Harry muttered, opening the hole. The noise had died down in the ten minutes Harry had been gone; the common room was near deserted, with the exception of Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Ginny and Ron were arguing something about Quidditch, while Hermione was still reading. She looked up.

"Hey Har-" Noticing the Marauders, she stopped mid-sentence, gaping at them. Ginny and Ron turned as well and stared, particulary at James and Sirius.

"What the hell?" Ron muttered, staring at the three boys, who looked rather uncomfortable.

"James, Sirius, Remus, this is Ron, Ginny, and Hermione," Harry said shortly, nodding.

Hands were shook, but Ron was still gaping, whereas Hermione and Ginny kept their surprise to themselves.

"Right, well, I've got a lot of explaining to do to you three," Harry said, sounding uncomfortable. "Care to join us, Ron?"

Ron shook his head, knowing Harry would like privacy. "Nah, I've got some stuff to do before turning in," he said, with a brief nod.

"Well, 'night, all," Harry said, going up to the dorms, with the three Marauders following him.

"Right, so what is this rubbish about Sirius and me being dead?" James said, sitting on one of the new beds. Curiously, Seamus, Neville, and Dean weren't there; Harry found later that they had been moved to a different dorm.

James, who tried to sound nonchalant, was failing miserably.

"Right... well, you three remember the story I told you a while back, about my parents?" Harry said, in a pained voice.

James got a sick feeling in his stomach; he thought he knew what was happening.

"Well... James, you were my father," Harry said, his voice scarcely a whisper.

James swallowed this large bit of information. "Right..." he said, his voice choked. "What about Sirius?"

"Yes," Sirius said, sounding timid, something Harry had never heard him sound like. Remus adjusted himself on his bed, and Harry shuffled uncomfortably on his.

"Well, at the end of last term, the end of my fifth year, you were killed in the Department of Mysteries."

Remus chuckled uncertainly. "My father works there as an Unspeakable. How did Sirius die?"

"Did I die fighting Voldemort?" Sirius said, sounding braver. "Did I die defending Europe?"

"Well... sort of," Harry said."I'd better start at the beginning.

"In my fifth year, I was having strange dreams- things that were happening at the time I was dreaming. One of them was when I saw my friends' father being bitten by a snake. I was given Occlumency lessons, but I... didn't exactly try to master it.

"During my History of Magic O.W.L., I fell asleep and had a dream that Sirius was being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. Sirius, you were my godfather then. I went to try and find you, along with a few other students- only to find that I fell into a trap. Sirius, you weren't really there. It was a trick.

"Everyone came to save us; Tonks, Moody, you, Remus, you, Sirius, and several others. We were losing, and Sirius was dueling with Lestrange-"

"Rodulphus Lestrange?" Sirius said suddenly, sounding a little angry.

"No- your cousin Bellatrix, who married him. You were fighting with her, as she was a Death Eater, and you almost won. But you fell through the viel-"

"The Viel of Death," Remus said in a hushed voice, looking sad.

"Yes, I suppose," Harry said. "You fell through. I tried to go after you, but Remus stopped me, telling me it was too late."

The three Marauders shivered. "Bad future..." James said after a minute, his voice quiet.

Harry nodded. "It's not dandy for anybody, except maybe Voldemort."

There was silence for a few minutes. But then-

"Why did he try to trick you anyway?" The voice belonged to Remus.

"There was a prophecy made before I was born, a prophecy that said that a child born to parents that defied Voldemort three times, born at the end of July, would be marked as Voldemort's equal. It applied to me, but he only heard part of it. He didn't hear the part that read, 'Neither shall live while the other survives.'

"Voldemort knew that I would be his equal, because you, James, and my mother defied Voldemort three times. So he killed you, trying to kill me."

James looked thoughtful. "Who exactly was my wife?"

Harry smiled slightly. "I'll tell you that some other time. Right now, we should probably get to bed; classes tommorow, you know."

Five minutes later, the boys had finished changing and were about to crawl into bed when Ron came in.

"You done?" he asked, smiling slightly at the others, an odd smile.

Harry nodded wearily. "'Night, everyone," he mumbled after Ron had changed and turned the lights out.

He heard a murmur pass through the dorm, which was soon taken up by deep rythmic breaths and Ron's slight snoring.

**TBC...**


	3. The First Day

**You guys don't know how much your review mean to me. Just to know that you care enough to take time to respond and help make me a better writer...**

**Well, I know what you're thinking: GET ON WITH THE STORY!**

**I must comply **

**DISCLAIMER: I, unfortunately, do not own the wonderful world of Harry Potter. I do, however, own this story- so no sticky paws, you hear?**

The next morning, Harry awoke around 7:00 A.M.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he yanked open the crimson curtains that were hanging, like a shield, around his bed, and slipped his glasses onto his face.

Looking around the dorm, he found that Remus was already awake and in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. Ron was snoring heavily, Sirius was muttering in his sleep, and James's mouth was hanging wide open. Harry smirked slightly.

Remus rinsed out his mouth and emerged from the bathroom. "'Morning, Harry," he said, stifling a yawn.

**(AN: Just to clear any confusion, the teachers _have_ been notified of the Marauder's situation. How do you think good ol' Snape is going to respond to that?)**

Harry grunted a "Good Morning" to Remus, before stumbling blearily off to the bathroom to wash up and brush his teeth.

When he emerged, he looked at the three sleeping boys. "Think we should wake them?" he asked Remus, who was digging through his trunk, which Dumbledore had provided, clothing and all.

Looking up, he squinted at the three still forms. "Yes, I suppose so," he said after a second or so.

"Right, I'll take Ron, you take Sirius and James," Harry said, starting towards Ron's bed.

When he got there, he pinched Ron's nostrils together and said, loudly, "Rise and shine!"

Ron started awake, sitting up quickly. Glaring slightly at Harry, he rubbed his sore nose and muttered, "I'm up, I'm up," before stumbling off to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Remus went to awake Sirius and James. Choosing Sirius as his first 'victim', he gave him a sharp poke in the stomach.

Sirius cried out in alarm, stopping his insessant muttering and sitting upright in bed.

"'Morning, Padfoot," Remus said cheerily, as Ron exited the bathroom.

Sirius grunted something, before leaving the warmth of his bed to go to the bathroom as well.

At Sirius's cry, James had awoken as well. "What's all the yelling about?" he asked, his voice slightly slurred, as the effects of sleep were still upon him.

"Oh, just getting Sirius up," Remus said lightly, going back to his trunk and pulling out his robes. James frowned, and went to join Sirius in the bathroom.

The three boys left in the dormitory dressed in silence, until Sirius and James broke out into arguement over the toothpaste.

"You're supposed to push the tube from the _end_," whined Sirius. "Otherwise it makes it all hard to push out!"

"Oh, shut up!" James said, sounding exasperated, and he left the bathroom, followed by a pouting Sirius.

"Is every morning like this?" Ron asked Remus in a low voice.

"Yeah, pretty much," replied Remus, with a slight shrug.

"I heard that!" said both James, who had his robes halfway over his head, and Sirius, who had almost fallen into his trunk in an attempt to get his socks.

Harry stifled a laugh, shoving his trainers onto his feet.

Finally, everyone was ready to leave. Swinging his bag over his shoulder, he entered the common room, only to be met by a mod of students, who had found out one way or another that Harry was the new Quidditch Captian for Gryffindor.

"When are the Quidditch tryouts?" was the question they wanted answered. Harry quickly silenced them.

"Friday at seven. Now let me through so I can get some breakfast," Harry said, and they quickly obliged.

The fivesome made their way to the Great Hall in silence, and met up with Hermione at the Gryffindor table.

They arranged themselves so Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting on one side, with Remus, Sirius, and James on the other. Remus was sitting across from Hermione, Ron across from Sirius, and Harry across from James.

Hermione and Remus quickly were in discussion about the schoolbooks, and only moments later, Sirius and Ron were excitedly predicting the outcomes of matches. Only James and Harry remained silent, both picking at their breakfasts.

After ten painful minutes, Katie and Alicia, two of the four remaining players on the team, passed by and congratulated Harry on his sucess at being the Captain of the team. Harry thanked them and informed them of the tryouts on Friday, and they assured him that they would be there.

Five or so minutes after the two girls had left them, McGonagall came around with the year's schedules. Passing them out to the six students, she moved on wordlessly to the next group.

Harry looked at his schedule, then Ron's. Ron hadn't made it into the N.E.W.T. Potions class, and Harry did. "So I guess our schedules are different," he finally said.

Ron nodded forlornly. "Yeah, I guess so..."

James's and Sirius's schedules, however, were identical to Harry's, and Remus had a schedule that matched Hermione's.

Scanning his schedule, Harry frowned. "Double Potions after lunch today," he said, misery evident in his voice.

"Who's the Professor? Head of Slytherin?" asked James absently, looking through his schedule.

Harry grimaced slightly. "Severus Snape," he said.

"WHAT?" said Remus, Sirius, and James simultaneously. Harry just grimaced back at them.

**X**

James, Sirius, and Remus were not at all happy with Snape's... position, Sirius and James more than Remus.

They struggled through Transfiguration, which was deadly, and Remus and Hermione had left them for History of Magic while Sirius, James, and Harry made their way to Charms, and met up with Ron, who had had Herbology.

Flitwick gave James an odd look when he called out "James Potter" right after Harry's name, and gave another one to Sirius when he called out "Sirius McCarter".

Charms wasn't as bad as Transfiguration. Harry found that he was enjoying himself, making pillows zoom around the room. Eventually, of course, Sirius had gotten himself into trouble when he flew it out a window and hit a second year Hufflepuff, who was outside of the greenhouses for an outdoors lesson with Professor Sprout.

In an hour, Charms had finished, and it was time for lunch. Stomach rumbling, Harry made his way to the Great Hall with Sirius, James, and Ron. Hermione and Remus arrived seconds after they had sat down.

Halfway through lunch, James looked up to see Snape looking at him nastily- there was no mistaking that curtain of filthy, greasy hair that hung around his pallid face.

All too soon, lunch was over, and, with a sick feeling in their guts, Harry, Sirius, and James made their way down to the dungeons. The temperature dropped with each step, but Harry was used to it. He found himself grimly wishing he hadn't passed Potions.

Following the rest of the students in, which consisted of a mixed group of Gryffindors and Slytherins, Harry, James, and Sirius took a seat near the back of the room, trying to keep out of sight as much as possible.

Snape entered the room, and the chattering students immediatly fell silent. Taking a seat at his desk, he began to call roll:

"Lavender Brown?"

"Here."

"Gary Doyle?"

"Here."

"Harry Potter?" he said, with an unpleasant sneer in his voice.

"Here," said Harry grudgingly.

"Ah. James Potter?" he said, his voice filled with barely masked menace.

James looked back at him defiantly. "Here."

And so the roll continued, with the same nasty reaction towards Sirius.

"Now, this class is only for the most advanced students in this school- which makes me wonder why some of you are in it," he said, with a particulary nasty look at Harry, who ignored him, his face expressionless. Malfoy, who had been laughing, stopped.

The potion they were assigned that day was a particularily hard one, with the most precise directions. Harry should have expected Snape to assign such a fiddly potion.

During the potion making, Snape casually made his way to James and Sirius when Harry left to go get ingredients from the students' supply cabinet. He leaned over, his face barely three inches from James's. James looked up from his potion, looking rather disgusted.

Snape had a venemous smile on his face. "Do not forget, Potter, that you are the student and I am the teacher." The words had been hissed, and when Snape was about to speak again, the voice of Harry came from behind him.

"Excuse me, Professor Snape... you're standing right in front of my cauldron," Harry said, his voice quiet. Snape just smirked, and swept away.

By the end of class, Harry was confident he had earned at least an Acceptable on his potion when he cleaned out his cauldron and flasked his potion. Bringing it up to the desk, along with James's and Sirius's flasks.

The three students had turned around, heading back to fetch their bags, when they heard a horrible noise- one like breaking glass. Dread filled Harry's stomach as he whirled around, along with James and Sirius.

Three flasks, with the potions oozing out of them, were lying in pieces on the floor. Malfoy was snickering as Snape said, "Whoops. Looks like a zero for today."

Harry was the first out of the class, with Sirius and James close on his heels. The two others were ranting, while Harry just fumed.

"What a bloody little-" James said a word that made half the corridor stare at him. "How does he get by doing that?"

"Please, he's been doing it to me for five years," Harry said, rolling his eyes, as they went to the fifth corridor for their first lesson of Defense Against the Dark Arts, a subject Harry was particularily good at.

James was about to reply as they walked into the classroom, but fell silent, noticing the teacher had not yet arrived.

The rest of the class filed in, also looking puzzled. Finally, five minutes or so after Neville had hurried in, Professor Clarke.

"Terribly sorry," he said, and the girls sighed contently- much like when Professor Lockhart had been teaching in the second year. "Somebody believed it amusing to set off a load of fireworks on the grounds."

James and Sirius chuckled under their breath.

"Right then," he said, fetching a roll of parchment from his desk."Time for roll. Cathrine Barrington?"

Finally, after ten minutes, the roll had been finished- the class was rather large.

"Well, as you know, I am Professor Clarke. Today," he said, flicking his wand. Handwriting appeared on the board. "We are going to learn how to fight normal curses somebody might throw at you when you are unsuspecting. Learning how to fight curses is important in these dark times. I believe all of you read the Daily Prophet over the summer? Correct me if I'm wrong."

A murmur passed over the room. Muggle-borns had taken to getting the Prophet, seeing as Voldemort's return had been revealed.

"Good, good. It's always good to be informed. Then you are well aware of the return of Lord Voldemort?"

A shiver went over the room, but James, Harry, and Sirius remained still. Harry was impressed- he had heard only Remus Lupin, Professor Dumbledore, and himself use his name before.

That day, the Professor taught them how to fight curses such as Jelly Legs, Tarengella, Michonica (which was a curse that lodged something in your throat, rendering you unable to breath) and Farengila (a curse that made you stick to the floor, unable to move.)

Knowing that Harry would more than likely be able to counter-curse the spells, as he had been informed that Harry had participated in the Triwizard Tournament, Clarke used Harry as a demonstration.

By the end of class, Harry was shaking and tired from being cursed several times. "Harry, would you stay back, please?" he said, his voice pleasant. Harry turned and trudged to his desk, whereas James and Sirius remained still, waiting for Harry. Clarke ignored them.

Taking some chocolate from his desk, he broke off a piece and handed it to Harry. "You took quite a beating today. Thank you for demonstrating," he said kindly.

Harry nodded and left the class. At the first trash can they passed, Harry tossed the chocolate away.

James and Sirius looked at him curiously.

"You can never trust anyone these days," Harry said quietly.

**TBC...**


	4. Harry's Nightmare

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the whole Harry Potter storyish thing, but I do own the plot- so NO STICKEH PAWS!**

James, Sirius, and Harry arrived at dinner moments before Ron, who came with Dean and Seamus from Charms, and Hermione and Remus, who had been out with Professor Sprout for Herbology.

The six became engrossed in a lively conversation about who was trying out for the positions, and even Hermione was taking part. Until an owl hit Ron in the head- an official looking owl, a school owl, Harry realized.

It marched up to Harry, ruffling it's feathers importantly and sticking out it's leg, offering Harry a letter. Ripping open the envelope, Harry read the letter:

_Harry, James, Sirius, and Remus-_

_Please meet me in my office at 8:30 tonight._

_-Professor Dumbledore_

Harry passed the letter around to the other five, who looked at it curiously.

"What do you suppose he wants?" Ron asked the others, bemused.

**X**

At quarter after eight, Harry, Sirius, James, and Remus left the common room, heading up to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Come in," said Dumbledore when Harry knocked on his door. Pushing the door open, the four slipped inside. Dumbledore was at his desk, writing on a piece of parchment.

"Have a seat," Dumbledore said, swishing his wand. Four poofy crimson armchairs appeared, and each student gingerly sat in them. Remus brushed a hand through his sandy hair, looking nervous.

"Nothing to be worried about, Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said calmly. "I just wanted a word with you four about Professor Snape."

"What about him?" James asked agressively.

"James, it was you I wanted to talk to in particular. Professor Snape is on our side, and I want you to understand that he _isn't _a true Death Eater, but a double-agent. He is risking his life for our side. Also, I want to point out that _he_ is the teacher, and _you _are the student. Treat him with respect, and he'll leave you, and Harry, be. That is all."

The four nodded. Once they had closed the office door and descended the spiraling stairs, Sirius spoke. "D'you really believe he isn't a Death Eater?"

James shook his head and began to speak, but Harry cut him off. "Look, Snape saved my life last year. He may hate us... but he's on our side."

James fell silent, as did Sirius.

**X**

At ten o'clock that night, the five students residing in Harry's dormitory decided to turn in.

By half after ten, the room was filled with the snores of Ron and Sirius, and the deep breathing of James and Remus.

Harry finally fell asleep at quarter till, and began to dream.

_A quiet little house resided on a quiet street in the suburbs of a wizardring community. Within, a happy family, with a husband, a wife, and an infant son, sat in the living room companionably._

_Suddenly, the quiet was disturbed. A tall, cloaked figure was walking down the street, his red eyes, his awful red eyes, glowing menacingly in the dark. His snake like face wasn't visible underneath the dark hood of his cloak._

_Pulling out his wand, he reached Godric's Hollow. Standing calmly, he blasted open the door._

_The woman screamed, filling the night. The man yelled, "TAKE HARRY AND RUN!"_

_The woman needed nothing else. She ran, with her infant son sobbing in her arms, up the stairs. The tall man started after her, but was blocked off by her husband, a man with untidy jet-black hair._

_The two men began to duel. Three minutes later, the dark-haired man lay dead at the other's feet. Laughing fiendishly, the man ascended the stairs, holding his wand at his side. When he reached the top of the stairs, he sensed that the woman was in a room off the left side. Blasting open the door, he stepped into young Harry's nursery._

_"No! Don't kill Harry, please, kill me instead," sobbed the woman, who had dark red hair. Harry was crying in his crib._

_"Move aside you silly girl," hissed the tall man._

_"No, please-" A cry filled the night as the woman was murdered._

_Turning his wand on the child, the man sneered. "Good-bye, Harry Potter." Screaming filled the night..._

Harry sat up in bed, Ron shaking him. James, Sirius, and Remus still were in bed, but were awake. Harry found that the screams were his own.

"Mate! What's wrong?" Ron asked, his voice full of concern. "Is somebody hurt? Is something wrong?" he asked, biting his bottom lip.

Harry was covered in sweat. Burying his face in his hands, he told Ron what he had dreamed about, unaware that James, Sirius, and Remus lay awake, wondering what was wrong and staring at the ceiling in awe when Harry recounted his dream.

"It was what I heard when the dementors got to close to me, now I saw it," Harry finished, shaking horribly.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Ron said quietly, not sure what else to say.

Harry climbed out of bed, not responding to Ron, and stumbled off to the bathroom. The sounds of retching were the only thing that broke the silence, until-

"So that's how I died?" James had gotten out of bed. "That is how I died?"

Ron nodded, looking rather shaky himself. He climbed back into bed.

James followed suit, staring at the ceiling, until the sounds of retching stopped and he heard Harry make his way back to his bed.

**TBC...**

**This chapter was shorter than the others, I know. It's a bit of a filler chapter, if you know what I mean.**


	5. Whipped Cream and Werewolves

**I decided to make this chapter a little happier, since everything has been so sad.**

The rest of the week passed hazily, with nothing particularily memorable, except for when James and Sirius let off a load of fireworks in the dungeon, conviently near Snape's classroom, landing them detention Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons.

Finally, Friday had arrived. Harry ate quickly and was on the pitch by quarter to seven. The rest of the team, which consisted of Alicia, Katie, and Ron showed up moments later.

Harry quickly went over the procedure with them. They were going to bring out each student and have them do a brief flying exercise to see how they fare on a broom. Then they would do a position drill, either a Chaser one (seeing how many goals one can score in two minutes) or a Beater one (seeing how long the student can block blows from a Bludger).

Two minutes after seven, the students began to arrive. Harry began to put them into two lines, a 'Chaser line' and a 'Beater line'. Sirius and James were among the first to arrive, and parted ways; James, to the Chaser line, and Sirius, to the Beater line. Harry also spotted a familiar red-head in the Beater line.

After students stopped coming, Harry explained how they were going to choose the new players. The current team was going to vote after the tryouts.

Harry brought up the first person; a second year by the name of Emma Jamerson. She was trying out for Beater, and Harry wasn't too sure about her. She was awfully small and frail looking.

She fared well on a broomstick, but did dismally on the Beater drill.

Harry pulled up the next person, a fourth year. He did horribly on both of the excercises.

The next person up was Sirius. He was undoubtedly better than the other two, and probably the best that showed up that night. Harry was deeply impressed.

So it continued. Ginny was one of the last students up, and she did well also. Harry finally moved on to the Chaser line.

James stuck out like a sore thumb; he was easily the tallest and oldest person in the line. Harry smiled slightly at this, and began the process of drilling the contestants.

Harry looked close to tears by the time James stepped up. The students, whether they knew it or not, were _horrible._ Harry felt like they would never get a new Chaser.

But James was an excellent Chaser. He handled the Quaffle well, could do excellent dives and turns, and had a good arm. Harry knew who he would be voting for.

Around eight forty-five, the tryouts were over. The last of the students were leaving as the team stepped into the locker room to begin the choosing.

"Okay," Harry said, holding his clipboard as soon as the other three got settled down. "Beaters first... Emma Jamerson?"

No hands went up.

"Peter Crawkson?"

Once again, no hands went up.

So it continued until Sirius's name was called. All four hands were raised for him; he had undoubtable talent for the position. Harry wondered if he had played in his time.

"Okay, it's time to choose the second Beater."

Harry ran through the list. Alicia, Ron, and himself raised their hands for Ginny, while Katie preferred a fifth year by the name of Erica Richardson. Ron argued exstensively, and Ginny won by majority rules.

The team, finally done, trudged back up to the castle, only to be met by a wave of students.

"QUIET!" roared Harry, and the students fell silent. "You'll find out tommorow. Now, if you don't mind..."

Harry pushed his way through, finally reaching the stairs. Walking up them, he and Ron made their way up to the tower; Alicia and Katie had managed to slip around the crowd, and were already in the common room.

Harry collapsed into an armchair, feeling worn out. Hermione looked at him sympethically, and Harry grabbed up his bag, which was lying on the floor where he left it.

Pulling out some parchment and his Transfiguration text book, Harry began McGonagall's essay, but couldn't concentrate. He put it away, pulling out a blank roll of parchment and tearing off a section of it, a section that was about equal to the length of a half-foot.

Harry wrote the positions down onto the paper:

**QUIDDITCH TRYOUTS OUTCOMES:**

**Beater 1: SIRIUS McCARTER, YEAR 6**

**Beater 2: GINNY WEASLEY, YEAR 5**

**Chaser: JAMES POTTER, YEAR 6**

**Thanks to all that tried out. Practice on Sunday night. Teams are required to have an A (acceptable) average or higher in each class. A failing student will get two weeks to bring the grade up and is suspended from practices. Failure to bring the grade up results in expulsion from the team.**

Harry shoved it back into his bag, careful not to let anybody see it; he didn't want anybody to know until tommorow. Not even James or Sirius.

**X**

Harry was up early the following morning, thanks to Peeves, who had thought it funny to put ice on his back.

Grumbling, Harry dressed, grabbing the parchment that he had written on the previous night.

Harry walked slowly down the spiraled staircase that led down to the common room, his mind wandering.

He felt so comfortable around his father and godfather. But whenever he saw Sirius, a feeling of sadness welled up inside of him. He couldn't help it... it just depressed him to see his now-deceased godfather.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, he cast a glance around the common room. It was deserted; he doubted anybody was up yet. Striding over to the notice board. Pulling out his wand, he held the paper up to the board with one hand and pushed hard at the top of the parchment with his wand. The paper was instantly attached to the board.

Smiling slightly, knowing how James, Sirius, and Ginny would react to the news, Harry left the common room. Slowly, he walked into the Great Hall and sat at a table, nibbling on a bit of toast. Soon, his head was in his arms and he was asleep.

Merely a half-hour later, around eight-thirty, James and Sirius emerged into the Great Hall, grinning their heads off. Plopping into seats on either side of him. James prodded him hard in the ribs, and Harry bolted awake. "What was that for?" he asked crossly.

"We wanted to wake you up to let you know that we are perfectly thrilled that we made the spots," Sirius said in a mock-business like manner.

"Good for you," Harry snorted. "Now shut up and let me sleep."

With that, Harry buried his head back into his arms and his breathing became rythmatic and deep.

James cast a devilish grin at Sirius, who reached over and grabbed a can of whipped cream, which was supposed to be used on the pancakes.

James grabbed it and drew a bull's eye on the back of Harry's head. Snorting with suppressed laughter, he slid the can back to it's place.

Moments after James had completed this, Ron and Hermione walked in. Ron began to laugh, and Hermione looked cross, though a smile was tugging at the edge of her lips.

When Ron began to laugh, Harry opened one green eye and sat up, the bull's eye staying right in place. "What is it?" he asked blearily, running a hand through his hair- and stopping when he felt the whipped cream.

Remus came down just as Harry was bolting from the hall to take a shower. "Why did you put whipped cream in his hair?" Remus asked, sounding slightly exasperated.

James shrugged. "It was too easy," he said, grinning.

Harry came back ten minutes later, black hair sopping wet and looking grumpy. Grumbling under his breath, he ate breakfast with the others. Getting up from the table to go for a fly on the Quidditch pitch with Ron, Sirius, and James (Remus and Hermione were going to just watch), he headed for his dorms with the others and grabbed his broom. Emerging back into the Hall, he started for the door but was stopped by Professor Dumbledore.

"May I talk to you alone, Harry?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly. The others stopped warily, but continued after a few seconds.

"Yes, sir?" Harry asked after the others had left.

"Harry, Remus is coming to meet with me today. Would you mind keeping the Marauders away from him? He doesn't quite know that his past self is in his time, and I'm not keen on telling him."

"No problem, sir," Harry said, starting to wonder how he would do that.

"And Harry?" Dumbledore asked, looking serious.

"Yes?"

"The threat of Death Eaters invading Hogwarts had increased. Be on your watch." With that, Dumbledore left for his office, leaving a confused and dreading Harry.

**X**

Harry spent an enjoyable morning on the pitch with the others, only having to distract them when he saw the adult Remus Lupin coming up the grounds for his meeting with Dumbledore.

By noon, Ron, Harry, Sirius, and James were tired, but happy. There was no feeling like flying on a broomstick. Remus and Hermione rejoined them from the stands, and the six walked into lunch.

As they were eating, Lupin passed through the Great Hall, leaving his meeting with Dumbledore. James looked up, seeing Remus from the corner of his eyes.

"Hey, Moony," James hissed into Remus's ear.

**(AN: I will be calling the adult Remus "Lupin" and the kid Remus "Remus".)**

"Wha-" Remus began, but stopped when he saw himself.

Harry groaned softly. Sirius began to cry out to him, but Hermione, who seemed to know what was going on, clapped a hand over his mouth so he only gave a soft cry.

"Why'd you do that?" James asked as Lupin left. Harry sighed.

"Look, he's not supposed to know you're in the future," he explained, his voice sounding strained. James, Sirius, and Remus seemed to understand, because they didn't ask anymore questions.

**TBC...**


	6. New Nightmares and New Anger

The next day, Sunday, Harry woke up screaming. This time, though, it wasn't about his parents.

_Flashes of red light sped past his face, and Harry ducked in time to avoid being hit by a ill-directed curse. He heard the voice of his godfather, and, as if slow motion, turned to face him._

_"Come on, you can do better than that!" Sirius yelled, ducking Bellatrix's jet of red light._

_The second jet of light hit him squarely in the chest._

_The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock as he stumbled backwards, away from his attacker, who was his very own cousin. His own cousin that was bent on either having Sirius join their ranks, or killing the blood-traitor._

_It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved into a graceful arc as he fell backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch..._

_"SIRIUS!" Harry screamed over Bellatrix's triumphant laughter. "SIRIUS!" He started for the veil, but Lupin grabbed him around the chest, holding him back._

_"There nothing you can do Harry-"_

_"Get him, he's only just gone through!"_

_"It's too late, Harry-"_

_"We can still reach him-" gasped Harry, struggling against Lupin's grasp, but Lupin held fast, refusing to let Harry literally attempt suicide._

_"There's nothing we can do, Harry... nothing... He's gone." Lupin's voice echoed around him, and Harry realized the chamber was empty except for him and Lupin... but suddenly, red eyes filled his vision..._

_Pain shot through him like never before, and Harry screamed. The pain stopped, and Harry saw his godfather, no more than a skeleton, grinning at him..._

"HARRY!" This time, it wasn't Ron's voice that roused him. It was Sirius's.

Harry's eyes burst open, looking into Sirius's concerned face. This just caused him to yell even more, after seeing his death repeated in his head.

Sirius looked helplessly over at Ron, who joined him in trying to calm down Harry, who was sweating horribly and still screaming.

"Harry, it was just a dream... it'll be okay..." Ron said, trying to stop Harry from screaming.

"Ron... it was about what happened... at the end of last year," Harry gasped, casting a slightly wary look over at Sirius.

A look of understanding appeared in Ron's eyes as Harry shakily changed out of his pajamas and into jeans, despite it being five-thirty in the morning. Just as he walked out the door, Ron, confused, asked, "Where're you going?"

"I need to be alone," Harry stated simply.

**X**

One of Harry's favorite places to go when he needed a good, long think was the Owlery.

Upon his entrance, Hedwig fluttered down to him, perching on the windowsill and holding out her leg. Harry wearily smiled. "I don't have a letter for you today, girl," he said, his voice a croak.

Hedwig ruffled her feathers importantly, nipped Harry's finger affectionately, and her amber eyes gazed at him, sympathy held within their depths.

"You are one amazing owl, Hedwig," he said, smiling again and stroking her white head.

Hedwig nuzzled his hand, before taking flight and soaring out of the Owlery.

Alone, except for the company of hundreds of owls, Harry slid down onto a relatively clean section of the floor and lost himself within his thoughts.

**X**

Several hours later, Harry was awoken from his stupor by a sneering Draco Malfoy.

Easily, Harry stood up and brushed by him, but not before Malfoy called out to him, and said something that made his blood run cold.

"I know who they are, Potter. _He _will kill them," Malfoy hissed venomously. Harry whipped out his wand and spun around, his face contorted in rage.

"Shut up," Harry growled, his voice dripping with menace.

Malfoy just sneered and sent off his eagle owl. "You just wait, Potter." With that, Malfoy swept past him, leaving a miserable Harry in his wake.

**X**

"It's noon now," Sirius said, exasperated. "How much alone time can one kid need?"

"Oh, you don't know Harry," Ron said darkly. Sirius, Remus, James, and Ron were in the common room, skipping going outside to enjoy the nice weather to wait up for Harry.

Suddenly, the common room portrait swung open, and Harry stepped inside of the common room. He was looked even more pale and worried than he usually did, and there were shadows under his eyes from his fitful sleep.

Not uttering a word to them, Harry took a chair near a shadowy corner and fell completely silent. Sirius cast a wary glance at Ron, who looked concerned.

"Harry?... Anything you want to talk about?" asked Ron- he could tell Harry had something on his mind.

Harry just shook his head, closing his emerald eyes. Ron had noticed a severe lack of sparkle in Harry's eyes- sparkle that used to be constant. Until that bloody Voldemort returned. Harry's physical well-being had been on the decline since then.

James arched a dark eyebrow, looking a tad confused. Naturally, James couldn't understand why anybody could be so upset at this time in their lives. James was just a happy fellow- nothing brought him down. Harry was the exact opposite. Harry had had such little happiness in his sixteen years that he was naturally an unhappy teen, and there was nothing to it.

Finally, James spoke up. "Harry... you're hiding something... what is it?"

Suddenly, Harry couldn't take it. "Why the hell do you want to know? Why the hell can't you stay out of my life?" Harry snapped, sounding unreasonable. After all, the information he had recieved was regarding Sirius, James and Remus- why wouldn't he tell it to them? Harry didn't know. What he did know is that he wanted to be alone. He thought, while up in the Owlery, that he needed company- but now he was aching to go back up there and curl up into a little ball and go through the miserable facts in his life.

But he couldn't do that. That would make everyone around him, including himself, unhappier, and it would snowball from there.

James looked highly affronted. "Because we care," he snapped back.

Harry had an angry gleam in his eyes, but it faded. "Do you?" Harry asked softly. Before they could reply, Harry had stood up and left to Merlin-knew-where.

James scowled after him, but felt it slipping off his face. "What is _with_ that guy?" James asked, turning to Ron for answers.

"Well, ever since his-" Ron cast a glance at Sirius- "death, Harry hasn't really been the same. He has no parents, and lost his godparent. He doesn't realize that he was the only one affected by Sirius's death. But I don't think that's it. Harry hasn't told me about anything else, but I don't think that's all."

The truth was, Harry didn't tell neither Ron nor Hermione about the prophecy predicting his future, saying that he was going to kill or be killed, saying that that was the only way to win this war.

**I know, a sad chapter- without much event, really. I'm losing my touch. Really...**

**A note: As you can see, that isn't the exact wording (the dream) from J.K.R.'s book. But, for copyright purposes, I couldn't exactly put the exact words- that's called plagarism. I also added a bit to make it more like a nightmare than just a memory, unlike the last dream Harry had.**

**I _promise you_, the reader, that I will make the next chapter A) more eventful and B) happier.**

**The next chapter should be out within the next couple of days, as I am considering starting another fic. That one, however, will not involve time travel as my others (excluding my one-shot "You Saved Me From Myself", which is a pretty interesting but overused story) but will involve Harry's sixth year and his ongoing struggled with Lord Voldemort, and his new struggle dealing with Sirius's death. But, Remus is also presented in the story, with his feelings on the final Marauder's death.**

**Look for it in the next couple of days. As you are reading this, I am starting the first chapter. Should be an interesting story, I hope. But I guess you, the reader, are the judge of that.**

**Enough of my babble. I better get this posted before a storm knocks out my power.**


	7. All Of Our Thoughts

**NEWS ON THE NEW STORY: I have, in fact, written Chapter One. HOWEVER, I'm not sure about the quality. My friend is, at the moment, editing, and I may do a rewrite. The title has been decided, though. It will be called... "Finding Courage."**

**That's all I'm disclosing.**

**This entire chapter is devoted to Hermione's, Harry's, Ron's, James's, Sirius's, and Remus's thoughts about what is going on in that point in time.**

**These will be cranked out quickly in sucession, approximately one a day, MAYBE two.**

**IMPORTANT! I have changed the rating to Teen! If you are below the age of, say, twelve, you may want to stop reading- there will be swearing and violence in other chapters, usually minor.**

**For all of those who may be wondering, the marauders do NOT know that Peter betrayed them.**

**HARRY'S P.O.V.:**

Why does everything happen to _me?_

What, praytell, did I do to deserve this damned cut on my forehead?

Ha, when have I ever been one to dwell on myself? It feels weird right now, pitying myself. Oy, I should probably stop.

The nightmares I've been having, though... I didn't tell Ron or Hermione this, or anyone else besides, but I had a nightmare during the summer that Hogwarts would be attacked at Christmastime.

Maybe it's like the dream I had about Mr. Weasley, you know? But that was during the present time, not during the future.

What's happening to me? I'm having strange dreams, my scar's burning all over the damn place. Why the hell can't I just be normal?

I've decided to stop sharing my dreams- it seems to make Ron and Hermione, and the Marauders as well, nervous. I can't stand to see them scared.

But what if something happens to James, Remus, or Sirius? What if they die?

What if the attack comes _true?_

**HERMIONE'S P.O.V.:**

Y'know, having James, Sirius, and Remus here is weird. I mean, I've met Sirius and Remus before... but they seemed so serious and so grave. Now, when they are kids... they are so carefree, you know? The weight of the world isn't on their shoulders.

That brings me to Harry. Ron and I, we're worried about him. We've touched on the subject, but, of course, we'd never tell Harry. He'd blow up if he heard we were talking about him, he never likes those things.

A lot of people think schoolwork is the only thing in my life. They're wrong, and I discovered that myself in the Department of Mysteries. Right before I got hit with that curse.

My schoolwork is falling behind. I got an eight out of ten on a homework assignment and came very close to failing a quiz that Harry and Ron got nearly perfect scores on.

How pathetic.

**RON'S P.O.V.:**

Mum and Dad are worried, I could tell during the summer break. Dad's always really shaky, you know, and Mum keeps dropping things. It's like when Percy was being a git.

Of course, he still is, the little slimeball. Didn't even apologize, still acts like Dad doesn't exist at work, and thinks Fudge is some sort of hero that he should worship.

What a git.

Ginny's going mad, I swear. She didn't come out of her room the entire break. Fred and George, they said their shop was flourishing.

Mum found out about it at the end of last year. Tried to talk them out of it- didn't quite work. 'Course, they're filthy rich now. They keep trying to give us money, but Mum and Dad won't accept it.

Bill is apparently helping Fleur "improve her English" Ha. Right.

Charlie got injured trying to catch a rouge dragon, he's in some Romainian wizardring hospital. He wouldn't let Mum come down to see him, said the Order needed her more.

Harry's just shut himself off from all of us, and Hermione's out of her mind with worry.

Why is my life beginning to fall apart?

**JAMES'S P.O.V.:**

Damn, I can't believe I'm dead. I can't believe it.

I can't believe I didn't live past age twenty-one. I can't believe my son had to grow up without a father or mother. I can't believe Lily Evans actually married me.

I can't believe Sirius is dead. I can't believe Remus is all alone. I can't believe Voldemort want's to finish off the line of Potters.

I just can't believe it.

**SIRIUS'S P.O.V.:**

I knew someday that I would die, but at my prime? In the most important part of my life?

I asked Dumbledore if I could see how I died. He seemed rather hesitant, but brought out his Pensieve anyway.

I watched it first hand- from when Bella cursed me to when Harry was being restrained by Remus, screaming for me, needing me...

How could I mean so much to one kid? Well, I know how. His mum and dad dead, living with Muggles, living with the thoughts of knowing _he _was the only one who could kill Voldemort...

I would've gone insane by now.

**REMUS'S P.O.V.:**

I'm all alone.

Sirius left me, James was killed. Living in isolation.

But what about Peter? Harry never mentioned anything about the fourth Marauder. I asked him once, but he quietly refused to talk about it. I noticed that anger welled up in those emerald eyes of his.

He looks so much like James, but is so different. James has arrogance about him, although I would never tell him. James is very open about his feelings.

I quite obviously don't know how much he is like his mother, but I have a clue of who his mother is. From those emerald eyes.

I think his mother is Lily Evans.

**And on with chapter seven, which will be just a nice, short chapter.**

Harry needed a quiet place- that wasn't the Owlery. Students were up there all the time in the middle of the day, being loud. He knew one place where he could be all alone.

Walking by the heavy oak door three times, wishing for a place that he could just think in, he entered the Room of Requirement.

Instead of bookshelves and cushions, there was a comfortable couch, a crackling fire, and a pitcher of water with a glass. That was it.

Harry sank onto the couches, feeling guilty for snapping at his father.

Harry would understand if nobody wanted to be around his horrible self. Harry knew he had become more seclusive, withdrawing himself from his friends- but just to protect them.

Anyone he managed to get close to or loved died. Sirius, his mother and father...

Silent tears rolled down his cheeks and he stared into the flames in the fireplace, feeling all alone.


	8. The Return of Padfoot

_**Behind the Veil, in the Death Chamber, the next day**_

If you were to walk into the Death Chamber in the Department of Mysteries, you would hear nothing but the extremely faint howling of a mournful dog as the ragged old veil fluttered in a nonexistant wind.

What Ministry officials did not know is that behind the Veil of Death was nothing but a pit. The cloth was avoided, many believing it to have deadly magical powers, but it was merely a trap set up by Ericson the Evil in ancient medieval times.

At the bottom of the twenty some foot pit was a dog, howling. Nobody could hear him, as the veil was sound-proofed.

He had been in there for months, dead bodies all around him. Sirius Black didn't know why he was still alive. He just was. Maybe he just had the will to live.

Anyway, the malnourished dog cried out, hoping, praying that somebody would hear him.

"It's no use," came a smooth voice from the darkness.

The dog tensed, pinpointed the voice to be to his left. A wand tip was ignited, and a young-ish man looked at him wearily.

Sirius transformed back to normal, staring at the man. "Who are you? When did you get here? I've never seen you before," Sirius said harshly. He knew the man hadn't Apparated in, as Apparating was disabled in the pit.

"My name is Ericson Perion," the man said, a small smile on his thin, worn face.

Sirius was confused. "How long have you been in here?" he asked, his voice raspy.

"Twenty-five years."

**o0o0o0o**

Urgh. Monday mornings.

Harry had come to bed late last night and was awakened by Ron yelling that they were late for classes.

So the morning was a five minute frenzy to get dressed and address hygiene. Sirius and James seemed to be used to it; Remus later explained that they did this weekly.

Making a mad dash for the portrait hole, already ten minutes late, Ron gasped, "What class do we have?"

Harry gulped. "Care- of- magical- creatures," he gasped.

Remus made a turn off of the fifth corridor for Charms class, and the other four kept bolting onward.

Finally, fifteen minutes late, they made it out onto the grounds. Bags swinging wildly against their hips, they rushed over to the class.

"Harry, Ron, James, Sirius, yer late!" Hagrid said gruffly.

"Sorry," Ron said, sweating slightly. "We woke up late and-"

"Ah, don't worry 'bout it," Hagrid said, waving a giant hand. "We're havin' a lesson on the care o' Jumplas."

Jumplas turned out to be magical creatures that looked rather like tiny muggle kangaroos. The coloration for males was black and for females was white, and newborns were acid green in color. Barely two feet high, they were found only in remote parts of Australia. They were on the brink of extinction, as wizards valued them for their pelts, which had magical powers. If you ground up a pelt of a Jumpla, you could bring somebody back from near death. Hospitals were allowed two servings of Jumpla pelt for every five years, so they had to be used carefully. Apparently, unless you had a government license, it was illegal to hunt Jumplas.

They soon got to interact with the creatures. According to Hagrid, male Jumplas would only work with male humans, and the same with the females.

During the lesson, Hermione and her Jumpla sidled up to James, Sirius, and Harry. Ron was chasing his Jumpla, who had tried to run from him, and the Slytherins were guffawing.

"Harry, Ron, I cannot believe you didn't set your alarm clocks this morning!" Hermione said. Harry just smirked.

"Kinda forgot," he said with a shrug. "And besides, Ron never sets his."

Hermione just rolled her eyes.

**o0o0o0o**

"Twenty-five years! Most people in here don't make it past a month!" Sirius cried.

"Ah, Sirius Black, but you did," the man said.

Sirius didn't even bother to wonder how the man knew his name. It had been in the papers about his sentence to Azkaban.

But wait! The man had been in here twenty-five years, and Sirius had been sent to Azkaban merely fifteen years ago!

"How do you know my name?" Sirius asked, arching an eyebrow.

The man stood up. He looked healthy, like he had just fallen in there today. Sirius looked thin, as he wasn't apt to conjuring food. But he could get water, so he was hydrated. He was alive.

Everyone that had fallen into the pit had died within the first week, with the acception of Sirius and... this guy. They had either died of angst, the fall, shock, or they had just gone mad and killed each other. It was a desperate fight for survival. To stay out of it, Sirius had transformed into a dog and hid. This was the first time he had transformed back to normal since he had been forced to hide to survive.

"Sirius, I am a Mage of the Light," Perion stated, his blue-green eyes looked at Sirius underneath a mop of black hair.

Sirius's grey eyes widened. They had learned about Mages of the Light in seventh year, in History of Magic. Sirius had actually listened that lesson. Go figure.

"How'd you end up in here?" he asked him.

"A fight occured here in the year of 1971. The Mages of the Light revolted against the Mages of the Dark and their dictator who ruled over us all: Junika Potter."

Sirius opened his mouth to speak, but the Mage cut him off. "Junika Potter is the uncle of James Christopher Potter."

Sirius mouth hung open. James had had a Mage uncle and had never told him? Moreso, a Dark Mage uncle?

"An explosion caused by a spell from Potter's wand sent everyone sprialing. Some Mages were forced into the past; some into the future; others were just blown up or fell back. I fell back into the viel. I haven't died, because Mages are immortal to suffocation, starvation, extreme conditions, stress... basically everything but an actual murder. Like a spell, a stab wound."

Sirius was gaping. "Holy crap," he mumbled.

"I need your help, Sirius Black. You see, the only way for me to leave is with either a witch, wizard, Mage's help. A Mage hasn't fallen in, and all of the witchs and wizards that fell in have been incompetent, only living a week. You, however, are strong. Somebody with the will to survive. One you care about is out there, and you need to find him, am I correct?"

Sirius nodded, thinking of Harry.

"Potter's great-nephew, eh? The only who defeated the Supreme Ruler?"

"The what?" Sirius asked, confused. Nobody had called Voldemort the Supreme Ruler before. Sirius would be caught dead rather than utter his name in that form.

"The Supreme Ruler, Sirius Black. That is what the Mages were forced to call him. You could say that... I never exactly grew out of that habit," he replied, a small smile on his face. "Anyway, Sirius Black, could you help me out of here?"

"What's in it for me?" asked Sirius stiffly.

"Ah, you get to leave here too. Come here, lad," said the man, beckoning him over. Sirius creeped over the dead bodies, not trusting the man- but what did he have to lose? If the old man would kill him, it would be a much less painful death.

"Put your wand tip with mine, and when I say to, imagine the place you would like to go. I shall give you the choice. I will be transported with you, but I can always Apparate away."

Sirius scowled slightly. What if the man was a Death Eater? Sirius's first thought had been to go to the Headmaster's office, but he might be leading a Death Eater right into Hogwarts.

"Ah, lad, you do not trust me. You think me a Death Eater," Perion said, cocking his head in a dog-like way.

"Well, how about this, then. You decided where you want to go, and I will choose my own destination. If the wards of Hogwarts, as that is where you were thinking on going, are secure, then I will not be allowed into the grounds and will be immediately transported to Azkaban."

Sirius nodded slightly, as that was the truth, according to Dumbledore. "Fine, then," Sirius mumbled.

"Ready... set..." -the wands were connected- "Imagine!"

Sirius had a clear picture of Professor Dumbledore's office in his mind. Suddenly, he felt a jerk behind his navel, almost like a Portkey... he was sailing away...

Hitting a hard stone surface with Perion next to him, Sirius flicked open his grey eyes and gazed around at the Headmaster's office in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

**I know this one took a while to write, and I apologize for that. You see, I did want Sirius to be alive, and I wasn't sure how to bring it about. I took a lot of time to think this one through, and if there are any rough spots where you are confused, let me know!**


	9. Alive

**Once again, this took a while to update, and I apoligize. I have no excuse. I'm just tired of this story -- It'll end in less than ten chapters- all in all, it'll probably be fifteen chapters. Then I may do a Marauder's Era fic, can I have your thoughts on that? Also, can you give me your thoughts on the ending (whether it should be happy or sad?)**

Sirius lifted his head from the stone floor, a sharp pain in his knee.

Ericson Perion cackled, getting to his feet. "Thank you, Black," he sneered, his eyes flashing from gentle blue-green to a dark violet. "I've been trapped in there for the _longest _time."

Sirius gaped. He'd been tricked! Instinctively, he thrust his hand into his pocket- but his wand wasn't there. Ericson cackled again, and Sirius looked up. His wand was in Ericson's hand!

Twirling it idly between his long, spider-like fingers, he laughed again. But this time, the laugh was cut short by an old man sweeping into his office.

"Perion!" Dumbledore exclaimed, hatred etched in the hard lines of his face.

Ericson sneered. "Ah, Dumbledore. It's been a long time."

Dumbledore narrowed his eyebrows and raised his wand. Ericson, seeming to gain some sense, dropped Sirius's wand and did something like DisApparation, except he disappeared with a hiss.

Sirius looked angry as he snatched up his wand. "Who the hell was that?" he snarled, looking agrivated.

Dumbledore turned from where he had been staring at the spot where Ericson disappeared. "Ericson Perion, a Mage of the Dark," Dumbledore sighed. Sirius suspected no less- after all, why would Dumbledore hate a Mage of the Light?

Dumbledore regained the twinkle in his electric blue eyes. "So you escaped, Sirius. Harry will be very happy," he commented, smiling at Sirius. "But first, we have some temporary visitors in the school. Have you read the scrolls of time travel written by Merlin?"

Sirius thought for a second, nodding slowly. "One of them..." he said, looking at the Headmaster. "Why?"

"Ah, we have some guests here from 1976," Dumbledore said jovially.

**o0o0o0o**

"Finally, lunch!" Ron groaned, sitting at the table between Sirius and James. Harry sat on the other side of James while Remus and Hermione took seats across from them.

Hermione arched an eyebrow. "Ronald, it's been three hours since breakfast."

"Yeah, but I didn't _eat_ breakfast," Ron reminded her.

"And who's fault is that?" she sniffed.

Harry ignored their bickering and dug into his roast beef sandwich, while Sirius and James delayed eating so they could flick bits of corn at the Slytherins, who mysteriously had targets drawn on the back of their robes.

Harry had just finished his sandwich when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Practically falling off the bench in surprise, he turned around to see greasy Snape himself.

"Potter, the Headmaster wishes to see you," he said smoothly, sneering at the rest of the group. James fell into laughter for no particular reason, Sirius following suit within seconds.

Snape scowled at them as Harry got to his feet and started for the marble staircase. Snape followed briskly.

When they reached the two gargoyles, one of them chuckled at Harry. "You're up here all the time, aren't you?" he chortled. Harry's mouth eased from a curious frown to a half smile.

"Oh, shut up. 'Canary Creams'," Snape said, and the gargoyles obediently moved aside. Harry vaguely wondered how Dumbledore had heard of the Weasley twins' pastry, before wondering if he had actually been in the shop.

Several minutes later, Harry was alone and knocking on the Headmaster's heavy oak door with the brass doorknocker. Snape had swept away once the gargoyles moved aside to admit Harry.

Dumbledore opened the door, eyes twinkling. "Harry, come in," he said cheerfully. Harry could see that Dumbledore had a visitor, although the person was sitting in a chair with the chair's back to Harry, and the latter could only see the top of the visitor's head.

"I'm sure Sirius will be most happy to see you," Dumbledore said suddenly, a large smile spreading across his wrinkled face. Sirius stood up, smiling at Harry.

Harry took a step back, eyes wide. "Wha- wha-" he stuttered, staring at Sirius icreduously. "But- but you fell! You fell behind- behind that viel!"

Sirius sighed. "It's just a pit. I... got out," Sirius said, choosing his words carefully, deciding to leave out the details.

A smile slowly spread across Harry's face. "You're back!" Harry suddenly crowed, looking so much happier than he had in several months.

Dumbledore looked pointedly at Harry, and Sirius was suddenly filled with anticipation. "Harry, you would'nt mind fetching Remus, Sirius, and James, would you?" he asked. "Ron and Hermione may come too. You are all excused from your next class."

Harry nodded and ran off to get his friends.

**This is a filler chapter, which means the next one will be up probably by the weekend.**


	10. Secrets, Meetings, and Memories

**Hey guys! I was on vacation since the sixteenth, which is my excuse for not updating. :P**

**I'm not impressed with this fic at all. Actually, I hate it. I'm going to add a few major twists into it to make it a tad more interesting for you to read and for me to write. In fact, one is in this chapter. Fun fun!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own this story, so please don't sue me. 'Twould be no fun...**

**Note: I will be referring to the younger Sirius as 'Sirius' and the older Sirius as 'Black' when they meet. The same thing applies to the Remuses.**

_Chapter 10: Secrets, Meetings, and Memories_

It was all Harry could do to stop himself from skipping down to the Great Hall- doubtless Malfoy would make something out of that. He managed to contain his extreme happiness that Sirius had come back. Feelings of guilt were rushing out of his heart like a waterfall, and he felt a huge weight lift off of his shoulders.

Slipping into the Great Hall, he briskly walked back to the Gryffindor table. Hermione and Ron were in a heated arguement over something, Sirius and James were muttering suspiciously, and Remus was looking at the other four with an exasperated look on his face, until he noticed Harry approaching the table.

"Hullo, Harry," he greeted the raven haired boy, cutting through Hermione and Ron's bickering and James and Sirius' plotting.

The other four greeted him too. "What'd Dumbledore want?" asked Ron bluntly. Harry had a mysterious twinkle in his eye.

"Well, he'd like to have a word with all of us," he said slowly, wondering how he would break the news that his godfather was alive. "He said we were excused from our afternoon classes."

James, Sirius, and Ron donned huge smiles, Remus looked politely happy, and Hermione looked horrorstruck. "Miss classes?" she exclaimed. "But we have double Potions today!"

Ron looked at her like she was insane. "Exactly, Hermione," he said, looking as though he feared for her sanity.

Minutes later found them at the entrance of the Headmaster's office, with an unhappy Hermione in tow. Harry turned to face the other five, a small smile on his face.

"There is somebody in here Professor Dumbledore wanted us to get... reintroduced with," he said, choosing his words carefully. "All I have to say is that... erm, don't overwhelme Professor Dumbledore's visitor."

The other five looked all but confused, staring at Harry. Harry looked at each one of them, his eyes lingering on Sirius. "Trust me, okay? Something very interesting is about to happen," he said quietly. With that, he knocked on the oak door that lead to the Headmaster's office.

**o0o0o0o**

**WHILE HARRY WAS GETTING THE OTHERS...**

Sirius was pacing around Dumbledore's spacious office, a rather odd look on his face- a look of joy crossed with a look of fear.

"Sirius, if you do not stop your pacing, I fear you may wear a hole in my carpet," the Headmaster said, sounding amused nonetheless.

Sirius flopped into one of Dumbledore's chintz armchairs. "I'm gonna see James again," he said in a whisper that was filled with mixed emotions.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, you will. Remus should be here any minute now."

Sirius closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of his armchair, taking a deep breath, until he was disturbed by somebody falling out of the fireplace next to where he sat.

Lupin brushed off his shabby, soot-covered robes. "You wanted to see me Headmaster?" he asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "There are two things you should know, Remus. One of them happens to be sitting right next to you."

Lupin looked to his right, seeing nothing, and then to his left. What- or who- he saw sitting in the armchair made him gasp in surprise.

"Sirius?" he exclaimed, gaping at the escaped convict. Sirius replied with a toothy grin, standing up so he was at eye-level with Lupin.

Lupin seemed to accept Sirius' return faster than Harry had. Within seconds, Lupin was grinning his head off and embracing Sirius brotherly. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" he exclaimed, giddy.

Dumbledore sighed. "Now is not the time for a reunion, boys," he said, the mysterious twinkle in his eyes again. "As we speak, young Harry and his friends are on their way up. Three of them you are going to be introduced to, although I daresay you know them already. You see, Remus, we have visitors from-"

Dumbledore was cut off by a knock on his door. "That would be Harry now," he said, stroking his long, silver beard. "Sirius, if you would be so kind as to answer the door... now then, Remus, we have visitors from the year 1976-"

At this moment, a female scream cut them off.

**o0o0o0o**

"SIRIUS!" Hermione shrieked, and Harry, who was standing next to her, covered his ears instantly. Black smiled at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but a look of slight shock came over his face when he saw James, Sirius, and Remus. He may have been told that they were here, but that doesn't mean he had been prepared for it.

Sirius was gaping at his older self, and Remus had peered around Black to see his own older self. James was gaping at both of them, and Dumbledore ushered them all in.

"Now don't just stand in the doorway!" he said, smiling and waving his wand. Extra armchairs appeared. "Have a seat."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione immediately slipped in and took a seat. James, Sirius and Remus were a little slower to follow. Black and Lupin were the last to sit down.

Dumbledore sat at the leather chair at his desk. All was silent for a few minutes, until...

"Wow Moony, Padfoot, you're _old!_" James suddenly exclaimed. Both Black and Lupin looked highly offended.

"We are _not!_" Black cried. "We're only thirty-six!"

James fell silent, but Harry distinctly heard him mutter, "Well, you look old..."

Sirius and Remus hadn't said a word the entire time. Both Black and Lupin were looking uncomfortable, looking at James in particular. Finally, Black stood up, leaving the group and trailing to the window. Lupin, feeling awkward as the oldest person in the group, soon trailed off as well, putting his hand in his pocket and fingering something inside.

Sirius watched his older self like a hawk under Black was out of earshot.

"Damn," he muttered. "Why the bloody hell do I look like somebody just died?"

Harry ruffled his hair. "Ah, well, it's the whole 'Azkaban' thing. And, I suppose, seeing James again," he said, looking directly at James, who inclined his head slightly.

Hermione wasn't paying attention to the conversation. She was looking at Lupin, or, more specifically, his pocket.

**o0o0o0o**

Black peered out the window, lost in thought. He was seeing James again, and the first thing he said to him was that he was only thirty-six? He chuckled bitterly to himself, watching the giant squid float lazily on the lake.

And his younger self hadn't spoken a word at all to him, and that was perfectly understandable. He'd do the same thing.

Black struggled to remember what James was like in school. Azkaban had drained him of such memories, and all Black could remember was that James was an obnoxious, disrepectful wart with a heart of gold- most of the time, anyways.

Running his fingers through his hair absently, Black mused that he would need a trim soon, as his hair was now down to his shoulder blades. He couldn't remember a time when his hair wasn't long. It'd been short the night that James and Lily died, that was for sure.

The night James and Lily died. That Sirius remembered like it had happened yesterday.

_The roar of a motorcycle could be heard coming closer and closer to Godric's Hollow, or what was left of it. The cottage was smoking, littered with debris. The roof had been blown off but the first and second floors were still intact._

_The motorcycle landed, hard, on the pavement outside of the home. A man with short, black hair, grey eyes, and a frightened expression on his face was riding it. Upon seeing the ruined house, the man cried out._

_"James! Lily! Harry!" he pratically screamed, and the lights in the neighbor's homes that weren't already on from the event that had happened at Godric's Hollow flickered to life._

_Sirius Black rushed into his best friend's home, sidestepping debris as he entered the kitchen, listening for any signs of life. There were none. He entered the living rooms, which held the stairs that led upstairs to the second floor, and nearly collapsed at what he saw._

_James Potter's dead body lay among the debris of the fireplace. He had a surprised expression on his face, and his eyes were wide and staring. Sirius made his way over to his friend's body and closed the dead man's eyes, a few tears escaping his eyes, which soon led to the man sobbing._

_When Sirius had pulled himself together enough to continue, he started up the stairs that led to the second floor. A sound erupted from another room, breaking the deafening silence. The nursery._

_It was the sound of an infant crying, and Sirius was shocked at the sight he saw when he entered the room._

_Lily was laying, dead, next to the door, and tears threatened his eyes again when he shut her emerald eyes. What surprised him was that the infant crying noises had been made by the Potters' child. What other infant could it be who was making those noises?_

_Harry was lying in what was left of his crib, sobbing. A lightning bold shaped cut was etched in his forehead, and Sirius lifted the young child up._

_Almost abruptley, the child ceased his crying, and a tiny smile was on his face at the sight of Sirius. "Pafoo!" he cried. It was one of the only words he knew._

_Sirius rocked the infant, carefully making his way back down the weakened stairs. "I'm going to take you to my place, Harry," he said. He had legal custody of the child, after all. James and Lily had appointed him Godfather._

_Exiting the house, Sirius was more than shocked when he ran into the giant form of Hagrid._

_"Sirius!" he exclaimed, looking sorrowfully at Padfoot. "I see you've seen the damage then, eh?"_

_Sirius knew he meant the bodies, and nodded numbly._

_Hagrid spoke again. "Profess'er Dumbledore sent me to pick up young 'Arry," he said. Sirius began to protest._

_"James and Lily appointed me Godfather, Hagrid! He's in my legal custody!" Sirius cried._

_Hagrid shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sirius. Profess'er Dumbledore's orders."_

_Sirius unwillingly gave the child up. "Take my motorcycle, then," he sighed. "Have a safe trip."_

_Hagrid nodded, tucking the child in his arms and boarding the motorcycle. The taillights of it soon faded in the darkness as Hagrid flew away._

_Sirius breathed in an angry gasp of air. "I'll kill you, Peter Pettigrew," he hissed._

**o0o0o0o**

Lupin let go of the small glass ball in his pocket finally. If Harry had seen the object, he would know what it was. A recording of a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, that Lupin had snatched for Dumbledore.

Lupin didn't know what the prophecy said, but Dumbledore seemed very grave about it. The Headmaster had assured him that the information would be shared with the Order of the Phoenix at the next meeting, but it was crucial for Lupin to retrieve it.

The warmth that the glass ball had radiated had comforted Lupin somewhat. He knew the prophecy said something horribly vital- and that Voldemort would want it too.

**Okay, so maybe that wasn't a major twist. But it does create some mystery, doesn't it? Heh heh...**


	11. Author's Note MUST READ!

**TO ALL OF MY READERS:**

**"A Return to Hogwarts" is going on a haitus. I need a break from this story, to tell you the truth. I apoligize, and I'll start it again sometime around the winter holidays, maybe earlier.**

**Instead, I'm going to start very soon a Marauder's Era fic to try to get my writing brain going again. It will take place in the Marauder's first year, focusing mainly on the friendship - or lack thereof - between James and Sirius, but will include large bouts of both Remus and Peter.**

**This is the full summary:**

**On one stormy day, four boys would meet. A family outcast, a arrogant show-off, a scared Muggle-born, and a boy with a secret would form the tightest of friendships - but not instantly. Follow the Marauders through the trials of their first year as they develop the friendship of the century.**

**How do you like it? I'm sure I'll have it up within the next few days, as the first chapter is already written by hand in one of my spiral notebooks.**

**Once again, I apoligize about "A Return to Hogwarts".**

**Your faithful author,**

**PotterScar**


	12. The Prophecy: Part One

**Yes, guys, I'm back! And I know this is earlier than the winter holidays... but hey, I was struck by inspiration!**

**Hope you like the chapter!**

**Sorry it's so short, this is just the revealing of what that prophecy says... creepy suspenseful music**

Ten minutes later, Dumbledore had shooed everyone but Lupin and Black from the office. Harry had the sneaking suspicion that something relating to him was being shared, and he protested, but he was soon dragged away by Hermione and Ron.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, steepling his fingers and peering over his half-moon glasses at Black and Lupin, who looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Remus, if you will," Dumbledore said, inclining his head towards Lupin's trouser pocket. Lupin nodded, withdrawing the glass-spun ball that was warm to the touch. Engraved on the front was:

_N.O.F._

_To_

_A.P.W.B.D._

_R.J.L., H.J.P.?_

Remus recognized his own initials R.J.L. He also recognized Harry's, H.J.P. Of course, then there was Albus' five-letter initials. But the top one was unfamiliar to him.

"What is that?" Black said sharply, but his question went unanswered as Dumbledore took the ball and held it in his long fingers, carefully observing it. After several minutes, he focused his light blue eyes on Lupin. Slowly, the glass ball slipped from his fingers, and shattered on his desk.

Black looked up, puzzled, but before he could ask, a figure of an old man rose from the remains of the shattered glass ball. The man was much older than Dumbledore, with a bald head and a long beard. Instead of looking weak, however, he looked strong and healthy.

"_The full moon's victim_

_and Marauder One_

_Will finish_

_What the Dark Lord has begun_

_Murder the Boy-Who-Lived_

_He will_

_Unable to fight_

_the urge to kill."_

**(Ah, yes, I know the prophecies in the past haven't been poetic, but this seemed best... :) )**

Lupin went whiter than snow.

He was Marauder One. _Moony, _Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. He was the full moon's victim. He was going to kill Harry Potter.

With a groan, he slipped to the floor, unconscious.

**Yes, very, very short, I know... sorry about that. But it's better than nothing, eh? Expect an update very shortly...**

**This is just Part One of what is going to be a three part chapter. Originally, it was very, very long, too long to come up with in one sitting... sorry this chapter is just over a page, but it's transitional. Just giving you something to think about.**

**Love ya!**

**PotterScar**

**PS: Once again, please don't throw things at me!**

**Shades of Gray will be updated this week. Changed, parts one and two are completed. The Fat Lady's Tale is completed. Those are the things I've come up with since we've last met... :)**


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